US citizens warned to stay away from Land Day demonstrations
Shavua tov, a good week to everyone.
I received an email this morning from the US consulate in Jerusalem advising me, a US citizen, to stay away from Land Day demonstrations on Sunday.
The U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem advises U.S. citizens that "Land Day" will be commemorated on Sunday, March 29, in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Israel. Demonstrations and heightened tensions may continue on Monday, March 30, and through the next week. U.S. citizens are advised to exercise an extra measure of caution.
The U.S. Consulate General takes this opportunity to remind U.S. citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. U.S. citizens should avoid areas of demonstrations and exercise caution if in the vicinity of any large gatherings, protests, or demonstrations.
Review your personal security plans; remain aware of your surroundings, including local events; and monitor local news stations for updates. Maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security and follow instructions of local authorities.
We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency. If you don't have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
Seemingly, it never occurred to them that the violence might be planned.
Al-Jazeera reporter run out of town by pro-Assad demonstrators
The highlight of numerous Land Day demonstrations by 'Palestinians' and 'Israeli Arabs' on Saturday was the chasing off of an al-Jazeera reporter by pro-Assad demonstrators in the 'Israeli Arab' town of Sakhnin.
Members of the crowd, some of them carrying Syrian flags, accused Al
Jazeera of being one-sided, and a “propaganda outlet” that supports the
Syrian rebels.
The reporter took cover in a local restaurant until he was spirited out shortly thereafter.
While
the reporter was inside the restaurant and after, scuffles broke out
between pro and anti Assad supporters, with some beating each other with
sticks. Eventually, cooler heads prevailed and the crowd cleared out.
At no point did police arrive during the fracas, which lasted a little over a half hour.
Some 2,000 demonstrators were joined by Arab MKs, local council heads and religious leaders in Sakhnin..
Israel's security authorities had a very busy day on Saturday. Read the whole thing.
Clashes at Kalandia, problems ahead on Gaza, Jordan and Lebanon borders
There are riots at the Kalandia checkpoint, at the entrance to Jerusalem from the east, and there are several potential problems brewing on Israel's borders with Gaza (where 'Palestinians' have approached the 'security fence'), Jordan and Lebanon, as the 'Palestinians' observe Land Day.
Palestinian protesters were clashing with Israeli forces at the Kalandiya checkpoint, throwing rocks, firebombs and burning tires. Security forces were using large amounts of tear gas, stun grenades, sound weapons and foul-smelling water to disperse the protesters.
A large number of protesters arrived at the checkpoint from Ramallah. At least one was injured on his arm by a rubber bullet and taken to the hospital.
Preparations took place along all of Israel’s fronts. The IDF announced that Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered West Bank crossings closed for a 24-hour period.
In Bethlehem, dozens of protesters were throwing stones at an IDF checkpoint after breaking through a line of Palestinian police.
Earlier, PA security forces had blocked the protesters from approaching the checkpoint. The protesters stopped in front of the Palestinian police and sat in the road, chanting: "To Jerusalem, we will march."
Israel Police deployed large numbers of police and border police forces in and around Moshav Avivim near the Lebanese border Friday morning, ahead of the expected demonstrations. Security forces set up checkpoints to prevent protesters from encroaching on the Lebanese border, where at least 10 people were killed in clashes that erupted during last years Nakba Day commemorations.
A chief superintendent in the police's Northern District said the preparations were designed with lessons learned from the deadly events last year. Police were prepared for crow control, armed with tear gas and riot gear.
Police said they were coordinating with the army, who was in turn coordinating with the United Nations in Lebanon.
Jordanian news sites have reported that some 8,000 people are gathering in order to take part in the massive march towards the Israeli border. There is increased security presence in the area.
Lebanese newspaper As-Safir reported that 120 buses will be transporting Lebanese participants and participants from Palestinian refugee camps to the Global March on Jerusalem.
And for those of you wondering how you get all those great pictures at home, here are some brave photographers (several dozen?) hiding while they take pictures.
Israeli officials said on Sunday that they are ready to handle the 'global march to Jerusalem' which is scheduled to take place on Friday.
Organizers of the event – known as “GMJ” – say they are planning peaceful marches on the Israeli border in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt, at checkpoints in the West Bank and at entrances to the Gaza Strip.
“Our aim is to end the Zionist policies of apartheid, ethnic cleansing and Judaization, which all harm the people, land and sanctity of Jerusalem,” they wrote on the event’s official homepage. “The GMJ is comprised of a diverse coalition of Palestinian, Arab and international activists who are united in the struggle to liberate the holy city of Jerusalem (the city of peace) from illegal Zionist occupation.”
Organizers said processions would also be organized in Arab and Muslim capitals worldwide, and in front of Israeli embassies in a number of unspecified countries.
Friday marks 36 years since the first Land Day, when tens of thousands of Israeli Arabs – and Palestinians marching in solidarity in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Lebanon – rallied against government plans to take control of hundreds of hectares of land in the Galilee and the Negev. Six Israeli Arabs were killed and around 100 were wounded in the protests.
On Sunday, officials said security forces had been given refresher training on non-lethal crowd dispersal techniques. They said border police have been put on alert in Israel and the West Bank, and additional officers deployed to the northern borders to reinforce IDF units.
Of course, the big issue is what will happen on the borders, since we all recall what happened last year, when 'Palestinians' breached the border with Syria and attempted to breach the border with Lebanon.
Another official said all necessary precautions were being taken, and that Jordan and Egypt had an interest in keeping their borders quiet.
The situation in Lebanon is less clear. One Israeli official said marchers would likely proceed as far as Beaufort – a Crusader castle several kilometers north of the border – while another warned that Iranian involvement in Lebanon’s south means no scenario could be ruled out.
...
This month, the GMJ website claimed a Jewish-Iranian umbrella group had thrown its support behind the marches. “We the Iranian Jewry alongside the strata of Iranian people, under the guidance of the leadership, announce that we shall fight against imperialism and Zionism until all the lawful rights of the valiant nation of Palestine are met,” the Society of Iranian Jews was quoted as saying.
“We the Iranian Jewry would also like to show the disassociation of the anti-humanitarian works committed by the occupying Israeli regime and their usurping army with the commandments of divine laws of Prophet Moses (P.B.U.H). We would like to show our support with all those who desire the lawful rights of the valiant nation of Palestine,” the group said.
The statement was signed by Ciamak Mordesadegh – who holds the one Iranian parliamentary seat reserved for Jews – and Rabbi Mashallah Golestaninejad, a Jewish leader in the country.
The prime mover behind the march is Iran, and JPost goes on to cite a DEBKA report (highly unusual) which claims that the Iranian Jewish community is being forced to send Jews to Lebanon to march in the 'global march.' The Post says that the report cannot be independently verified, but it sounds plausible to me.
Jewish communal leaders were instructed by the Iranian authorities this week to have at least 10 young men aged 18 to 22 ready for the march. They were to be given “the honor” of acting as vanguard for breaking through the Lebanese-Israeli border fence and leading a mass incursion across the border.
They suspect that this ploy is meant to prevent Israeli soldiers from firing on the trespassers for fear of killing the Jewish contingent, while at the same time, exposing them to violence when the event is over at the hands of al-Qaeda linked Palestinian groups under Hizballah protection.
...
Our sources report an Iranian scheme to send the Jewish marchers on a visit to Ain Hilwa to show their solidarity with the most radical Palestinian cause.
Last week, Jewish leaders were obliged to sign a declaration of solidarity with the Global March and condemnation of Israel. The text put before them for signing was as follows: We the Jews of Iran strongly condemn the barbaric crimes of the occupation regime in Palestinian and declare the Zionist state in violation of the principles of Our Teacher Moses and the Will of God. We are totally at one with the aspirations of the heroic Palestinian people.”
Signed: Dr. Syamak Mare Dedeq, Jewish Member of Parliament, and Rabbi Mashallah Golestani-Nejad, described as the Chief Rabbi of Iran.
Israel has already announced that it will treat anyone who breaches the border as an infiltrator, i.e. as an enemy combatant. It will be interesting to see whether the IDF might attempt to 'kidnap' any Jews who are part of the march.
In the meantime, I am sure that the New York Times will publish an op-ed from Roger Cohen this week that will claim that Iranian Jewry is a willing participant in the march.
Look how the 'Palestinians' are promoting their 'Global March to Jerusalem'
The 'Palestinians' are promoting a 'peaceful' (I'll believe that when I see it) 'Global March to Jerusalem' to take place on March 30 ('Land day' - a day which has caused more and more violence for each of the last few years) and is being sponsored by Hamas.
Here's a video with Mustafa Barghouti - Marwan's cousin - promoting the march.
Let's go to the videotape and I'll have some comments afterward.
The bit about 'all holy sites' being protected is especially rich. Since 1967, Israel has granted access to all holy sites for Muslims and Christians. Jews are severely restricted in going to the Temple Mount, but have access to all other Jewish and Christian holy sites.
From 1948-67, Jews were banned from their holy sites by the Jordanian occupation (which was never pressured to create a 'Palestinian state,' because with a 70% 'Palestinian' population, Jordan is Palestine). The Jordanian occupation destroyed every synagogue in Jerusalem's Old City, and vandalized thousands of Jewish gravestones on the massive Mount of Olives cemetery, using them for latrines and hotel walkways.
So who protects holy sites - the Jews or the Arabs?
I'll guarantee you that every one of those kids you see being arrested from 1:30 on was throwing stones or worse. Of course, they won't show you that.
Remember all those Syrians and Lebanese trying to jump the border last May? It may happen again, but this time it appears to be much better organized.
Hezbullah's al-Manar reports on a planned 'worldwide march on Jerusalem' to take place on March 30 - which the Arabs here celebrate as Land Day. If you read the announcement, you will see that there is no pretense that this is about the 1967 borders. It's about 1948. They refer to 78% of 'Palestine' being occupied since 1948, and the rest since 1967.
As part of this movement and at the invitation of Palestinians, we decided to organize a Global March to Jerusalem (GMJ) aimed at raising awareness of the mortal threat to Jerusalem and all of Palestine by the hands of Zionists and helping us move closer to the day of freedom.
On 30 March 2012, from all continents we will converge and gather along the Palestinian borders with Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon, with the participation of delegations joining us from every country in the world in a peaceful march towards Palestine.
Therefore, we ask all people of good conscience to join us.
Signature The International Committee of the Global March towards Jerusalem
I am an Orthodox Jew - some would even call me 'ultra-Orthodox.' Born in Boston, I was a corporate and securities attorney in New York City for seven years before making aliya to Israel in 1991 (I don't look it but I really am that old :-). I have been happily married to the same woman for thirty-five years, and we have eight children (bli ayin hara) ranging in age from 13 to 33 years and nine grandchildren. Four of our children are married! Before I started blogging I was a heavy contributor on a number of email lists and ran an email list called the Matzav from 2000-2004. You can contact me at: IsraelMatzav at gmail dot com
